An elderly man passed away this Friday on the doorstep of a house in Santiago de Cuba, and his body remained at the site for hours, waiting for the police and forensic services.
The incident occurred on Avenida Patria, at the corner of Calle A, in front of Santa Cilia, and was reported on his profile on Facebook by independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada, who received photographs from the location through a source that requested to remain anonymous.
At 1:04 in the afternoon, the body was still lying in the doorway, covered, and the authorities had not yet come to remove it. "They weren't allowing anyone to get close," Mayeta wrote while describing the situation.
An anonymous source mentioned a possible hypoglycemia and difficulties the elderly man faced in collecting his retirement, but none of this information has been verified. The identity of the deceased has also not been confirmed, nor is there any medical information to determine the cause of death.
Among the testimonies shared on social media, one person stated that the man had been at the location since early in the morning. Another unverified comment suggested that the police claimed a lack of fuel as the reason for not responding, and that the elderly man may have suffered a heart attack while drinking coffee.
Hours later, a hearse arrived at the site and removed the body, as documented by Mayeta Labrada in a second post.
The incident sparked outrage among Facebook users. "Elderly people are falling dead in the streets, how sad, no one seems to care," wrote one citizen. Another commented that "Cuba is dying before the eyes of the indifferent leaders of this country."
The case recalls other episodes that occurred in Santiago de Cuba. In August 2025, another elderly man died on the same Avenida Patria and his body remained on the public road for hours.
In January, an elderly man lay in the Sueño neighborhood without any ambulances, police, or firefighters responding; the Integrated System of Medical Emergencies (SIUM) reported at the time that there were no units available.
In September, an elderly person identified as Calixto Lescay was found dead on Prolongación de Calvario street, in the Veguita de Galo neighborhood.
The situation of retirees is another element of the context. Cuba has approximately 1,774,310 pensioners, according to the National Office of Statistics and Information. The minimum pension is 4,000 pesos per month, an amount that contrasts sharply with the cost of food, housing, and medication.
In Santiago de Cuba, economic difficulties are also evident in the long waits to receive pensions. In July, dozens of elderly people lined up starting the previous afternoon to collect their pensions the following day, with waits of between four and eight hours.
A survey conducted in March by the Independent Trade Union Association of Cuba revealed that 99% of retirees consulted believed their pension was insufficient to cover food, housing, and medications. Additionally, 90.7% stated that they continued to work informally to make ends meet.
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